Starring Sally Field, the movie follows Tova Sullivan, an elderly cleaning lady who works nights cleaning an aquarium in Sowell Bay, Washington, despite having been encouraged to retire.
There, she shares gossip and a friendship of sorts with the arrogant old octopus Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina).
After injuring herself, Tova begins to transition her job and responsibilities at the aquarium to Cameron Cassmore (Lewis Pullman), a young drifter who ends up in town.
Both their pasts and families come into focus as Cameron searches for his absent father.
The film is adapted by director Olivia Newman from the 2022 namesake novel by Shelby Van Pelt.
“What spoke to me about the book was the journey that these two characters, Tova and Cameron, who are so seemingly different on the outside, end up having,” Olivia said in an interview.
“They’re both finding themselves in this place where they’re a bit stuck and a bit lost as to what the next chapter holds and what they’re supposed to do with their lives.
“And then to have an octopus observing all of this, who is so brilliant and able to look at the human species through this very particular lens as a creature who thinks very highly of themselves and smarter than humans in every way. That was so fun, the idea of being able to get inside a very specific and unusual perspective,” she added.
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